Standard Garage Door Sizes (and How to Measure Yours)

Standard garage door sizes are 8×7 or 9×7 feet for one car and 16×7 feet for two cars. That is how Clopay’s size guide describes the most common doors. The first number is the width. The second number is the height.

Those sizes fit most homes, but not every home. Older houses and custom builds can have odd openings. This guide shows the common sizes and how to measure your own opening. It also explains what a size change means in Florida.

What are the most common garage door sizes for one and two cars?

Most single doors are 8 or 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Clopay says the 9 foot width is popular in newer homes. It gives a little more room to park and unload. Single doors can range from 8 to 10 feet wide.

For two cars, 16 by 7 feet is the baseline. Double doors usually run from 12 to 18 feet wide. A 16 foot door fits two sedans or small SUVs side by side. Two full size trucks fit too, but parking takes more care.

These standard garage door sizes are a starting point. Your opening may be a few inches off, and that is fine. Custom sizes exist for openings that do not match. Clopay offers custom sizes for doors a few inches taller, extra wide, or built for an unusual shape.

Is a 7 foot or an 8 foot tall door better for you?

Seven feet is the standard height for most homes. Clopay notes that 8 foot doors are also widely available. The extra foot helps with a lifted truck, a large SUV or a roof rack. It also helps if you carry bikes or a kayak on top.

A taller door needs a taller opening, though. An 8 foot door will not fit a 7 foot frame without new framing. That means header work and new tracks. It also takes more headroom above the door, which we cover below.

Think about your next car, not just today’s car. InterNACHI expects a garage door to last 20 to 25 years. The door you pick now may outlive two or three vehicles.

How do you measure a garage door opening?

Measure the opening, not the old door. Clopay calls it the rough opening. That is the framed width and height, not counting the stop molding. Stop molding is the trim strip along the sides and top. The rough opening should equal the size of the door.

1. Measure the width from one side of the frame to the other. Check at the top, middle and bottom in case the frame is uneven.
2. Measure the height from the floor to the underside of the header. The header is the beam across the top of the opening.
3. Measure the side room on the left and on the right.
4. Measure the headroom from the top of the opening to the ceiling.
5. Measure the backroom from the opening to the back wall, along the ceiling.

Look for anything in the way while you measure. Pipes, shelves, lights and uneven walls can steal the space the tracks need. Write every number in feet and inches. Then compare them with the table above. If your numbers land on a standard size, a stock door will likely fit.

How much headroom, side room and backroom does a door need?

Side room is the wall space beside the opening where the tracks mount. Clopay asks for at least 3 3/4 inches on each side for its standard spring systems. Torsion springs also need at least 4 1/2 inches above the opening to attach.

Headroom is the space between the top of the opening and the ceiling. Clopay lists at least 10 inches for extension springs and 12 inches for torsion springs. Torsion springs sit on a bar above the door. Extension springs run beside the tracks. Low headroom track kits exist for tight garages.

Backroom is the depth from the door toward the back wall. Clopay says it should equal the door height plus 18 inches. So a 7 foot door needs about 8 feet 6 inches of clear ceiling. An opener adds its own clearance needs, so read its manual too. Our garage door opener installation page explains what a new unit involves.

Can you change the size of your garage door opening?

Yes, but it is a framing job, not just a door swap. A wider or taller opening means cutting into the wall and adding a new header. Some garage walls also carry part of the roof. So the change has to be planned with care.

Some owners want to turn two single doors into one double door. Others want to widen an 8 foot door to 9 feet. Both change the wall itself. Ask for the framing price along with the door price. Our garage door replacement cost guide explains what drives the price of the door.

Does a new door size change the permit or wind rating in Florida?

It can. In Florida, a garage door must meet the wind load for its location. That load depends partly on the size of the door. DASMA, the door makers’ trade group, ties a door’s effective wind area to its width and height.

So a rating for one size does not carry over to another on its own. Each rated door has a manufacturer’s label that certifies its wind load. Clopay says that label shows the design pressure and the test standard. Our page on hurricane rated garage doors explains how to read it.

A new door needs a building permit and an inspection. We’ll tell you exactly what your city requires before work starts, including for a size change.

Which garage door size is right for your home?

Start with what you park now and what you may park next. Measure your widest vehicle with the mirrors out. Then leave room to open the doors and walk past.

For most cars, a 9 foot single or a 16 foot double is the safe middle choice. If you drive a lifted truck, look at 8 foot tall doors. If you store a boat or a camper, plan for a special order size.

One double door or two singles is another choice. A double door gives one wide opening with no post in the middle. Two single doors keep a post between the cars, and each door is smaller and lighter. Each single door also needs its own opener if you want both automatic.

Storms matter here too. A wider door has more surface for the wind to push on. Our guide on how to hurricane proof a garage door covers braces and the label check.

Not sure which standard garage door sizes fit your opening? Call Majestic Garage Door at (813) 774-1127. We answer 24/7, come to your home and check the whole door. We agree on the price before any work starts. Learn more about our garage door installation service.